Girl at the Rock Shows

It was love at first listen when I heard a single from Poor Frisco back in March of 2021. I ended up reviewing their EP ‘Sky of Gold‘ and fell even deeper in love with the group so, when they reached out to me about their new EP ‘King of My Head’, I just knew I had to sit down and spend some time with it whether or not I actually had time to spare. That time has come this morning and although I have a million things to do today, I am so excited to dig into this new six-song EP.

The album kicks off with “Relentless”. This short song is punchy and full of attitude which is such a great way to start this release. The drumming and guitar work throughout this track is, well, “Relentless” but there’s something oddly calming about it. Although there are a lot of things happening throughout this track, I found a sense of zen as this song took over my house and heart. This song is short at under two minutes long but it definitely lays out the groundwork for what I am sure will be an amazing EP overall.

“00s” has sense of dissonance in the guitar part that caught me a little off guard but, as the song moved on, I started to really like this odd sound and the way it blends into the background as soon as the vocals take over, it all made sense. This is not a typical song but Poor Frisco isn’t a typical band. There are nods to everything from indie-pop to almost a folk punk style in this song creating a sound that I can only accurately describe as Poor Frisco. It’s a fun little bop with an infectious beat (which is one of Poor Frisco’s signature moves). Much like the artwork for this EP, there’s a slight sense of whimsy throughout this song but I can’t tell if that’s the song in general or the slight fuzziness that comes with the overall recording quality. Regardless, I could feel myself slipping into a whole other world as I let “00s” play and stared into the album art.

Third on this track is “Apparitions” which so happens to be the initial song that the band sent me from this album. Much like the first time I heard it, I was instantly drawn deep into this track with the super funky guitar part that kicks the song off. It’s simplistic sounding but absolutely unique and I love the way it opens up into another super fun song that instantly got stuck in my head. Instrumentally, this song reminds of me of The Strokes but vocally, I get a more Glass Animals vibe at times. Again, just a perfect blend of things that probably shouldn’t work well together but, when done by Poor Frisco, it comes together flawlessly.

Things slow down for “Centuries” in a beautiful way. Although it would be a bit of a stretch to call this a ballad as there’s no denying the power throughout this nearly four minute song, there’s something a little bit more tender about the approach to this song when compared with the previous three tracks. I’m not typically one for tender but the tenderness here is subtle and it was instantly a favorite of mine. I feel like you really get a look into the minds behind Poor Frisco with this song as each member is given a time to shine throughout this song. From the almost twangy guitar work to the solid but not overpowering drums, the steady bassline, and then the heartfelt vocals, I just feel like this slower and more spaced out style is a perfect way to introduce yourself to this band so, if you only have time for one track, make it this one (and then set aside more time because you will surely want to hear more after hearing this song).

“Helmholtz” is an instant hit. This song has a super catchy beat to it and the vintage feeling vocals soar over the instrumentation in a perfect way. Although I got no surprises on the journey of this track, I felt like this was another song that just has a very Poor Frisco vibe to it. It’s also one of those songs that just makes you smile. I feel like the whimsy I got in “00s” comes back in full force during this song but with a different sense of power behind it. Although, in the back of my head, I was stressing about all of the things I have to get done today, I let myself get lost in this track and it was perfect other than the fact that is only lasts about three minutes and, before I knew it, it was replaced by “King of My Head” signalling the end of this journey.

Whereas “Helmholtz” seemed to focus on the whimsy of “00s”, “King of My Head” seems to throw it back to that same song but focus in on the dissonance that caught me off guard at first but instantly became a signature move that I wanted more of so I was stoked as I heard it throughout this final track. The vocals show a bit more range in this final song which was not what I expected but was instantly something I wanted more of. I know I said that “Centuries” was an instant favorite of mine but “King of My Head” was another instant favorite for a different reason. “Centuries” gives you a good insight into what this band is all about. “King of My Head” shows you the growth of this band throughout this album and their career.

I wrote about not being sold on the first single I heard from Poor Frisco when I reviewed their ‘Sky of Gold’ album. By the end of that review, I was in love. Now, as I sit here reviewing their new album, I continue to question why I wasn’t instantly sold on this band when I first heard them because now I just can not get enough. I don’t know the band personally but I feel like they are my best friends after checking out ‘King of My Head’. They have a very personalized style to them and, when mixed with the amount of growth I’ve heard having followed their release for a couple of years now, I just feel like I am growing up along side of them. A lot of bands grow and change over the years. I’ve had some bands change styles and vibes completely and I love seeing that growth but the kind of growth I’ve seen in Poor Frisco is something I love even more. Poor Frisco’s sound is “Poor Frisco” and that hasn’t and will not change. It only gets better and more refined with age and I am already anxiously awaiting their next release.

My Favorite Track(s): “Centuries”; “King of My Head”

For Fans Of: Fuzzy Garage Rock; Unique Blends of All Genres

Mosh-ability: 2 out of 10

What My Cats Thought Of It: Alfie chased his tail like an idiot; Artie slept on the couch right next to me; Autumn slept upstairs in the sun

How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 7.5 out of 10

My Overall Rating: 8 out of 10

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